i think someone else came up with this idea before me. perhaps it was shambler. can�t quite recall, but i remember reading the idea before.

1. gameplay mechanics.

the object of the game is to be the first to find and reach the doomsday device, and detonate it, thus killing all of the other players. the players are also trying to stop each other by fragging one another.

the maps would typically be designed for players to converge from similar outer spawn points (optimally 4 of them, for grid-based design purposes) onto a central point where the device is located.

points are scored by fragging in the game or by setting off the device (1 point per kill). players who die by the doomsday device but get frags during gameplay get to keep the frags they earned. players who set off the doomsday device get to add their gameplay frags to their device frags. players who kill all the other players before setting off the doomsday device get their normal frag count.

players who die during gameplay can watch the rest of the round via a spectator mode.

weapons are the standard id lot. possible additions could include a zerstorer shotgun and a powerful long range sniper rifle for some interesting gameplay variations.

2. map design ideas.

the interesting part of this mod will be the things mappers come up with to complicate the task of getting into the center device chamber. some ideas:

- a map could favor speedrunning tactics, where similar corridors converge on a central room, with jumping and bunnyhopping opportunities aplenty.
- a map could favor direct conflict, in which each player spawns in a large room with a central device chamber that has a doorway surrounding it with a very low speed value. they could spawn with RLs and LGs to start for a real fragfest.
- a map could be spiraling inward with some spots that have holes in the walls between adjacent hallways, allowing rockets to pass thru towards the enemy
- a map could involve a large lake, and end with swimming to a device in an underwater cage. possibly LGs could be an interesting factor.
- a map could use a cylindrical tower design (eg Tokay's Towers from q2) with multiple levels and lifts that must be activated by button. some areas would be shielded and some would be open to attack from across the tower. weapons would increase in strength with the height of the tower. the device would be on the roof.
- a map where the player must navigate shifting platforms in an open void, while avoiding enemy fire that would frag/knock them off. vertical elements could be interesting here - for example, one path could give the player a DFA advantage but a slight time delay.
- players start at the bottom of a huge mountain, which is encircled by 4 spiraling walkways dug into the rock. players on higher walkways can rain grenades or rockets on those below.
- players must navigate a maze populated with func_walls that are constantly rearranging themselves. in other words, a dynamically self-altering maze.
- players spawn equidistant from one powerful weapon and must get to it before opponents (or kill them) if they hope to survive some sort of perilous, unguarded approach to the device trigger - for example, a func_train that rolls overhead, with perforations in the bottom so that rocket splash can knock the player off.
- players must ride func_trains over lava to approach a central citadel which houses the device. the func_trains are small and everyone starts with RLs.
- players start facing a central chamber but must perform a series of button pushes to open a door to the chamber. they are open to fire from both sides.
- players could be forced to pair off and fight a one-on-one to the death, and once they kill their opponent and get a key, they can open the door to a central arena. here they fight the winner of the other one-on-one (the player who beat the first opponent quicker has the advantage of grabbing some choice item first.) the doomsday room cannot be unlocked until two players have entered the central arena.

prefabs and such:
- doomsday device trigger is a standard pad that the player walks onto. mappers can get creative with nearby machinery and other such high-tech fluffery.

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if anyone has the qc chops to make this mod a reality, post here. if anyone has any additional mapping ideas or wants to help with this mod, post here. if anyone has incurable genital diseases, post here.

func_doomsday - the ent that actually kills all the players. Must be triggered. Has built-in counter.

trigger_doomsday - brush trigger which must be constantly fired for a set time: i.e. the player doing the triggering must remain in the trigger field, alive, for that time. Death resets the trigger. Someone else entering the field resets the trigger. For evil grinnage, give it an angle to force the player to "operate" the controls.

func_doomsday_button - brush model used to target a func_doomsday. There may be several of these. The idea being that the would-be doomsdayer has to run around getting all the systems up, and hoping nobody comes after him and starts resetting anything. Whoever trips the most switches needed to fire the device gets the doomsday frags. End result: player can't stay in one place. (If each switch is triggered by a different player, the device resets itself and awards a frag to the 'defuser'.)

In other words, the concept as originally explained has all the players converging on one spot or trying to; I like to think my idea offers some more flexibility.

the cool thing would be:
if the doomsday device takes a while, like say 15 seconds, then the other three players are now essentially on the same team, so it becomes 3 vs 1, and that would change in a split second as soon as the 1 guy setting off the bomb is dead. :D

it would be cool to make the trigger duration mapper changeable, so that different maps can have different times for the bomb to be set up (and go off)

The bottom line on Doomsday Devices is that they create a way to score points without requiring as much skill as other means of scoring points, which is a gameplay problem that can occur with much less extreme and less easily recognizable analogs of the Doomsday Device, such as a powerup that is easily acquired.

well, that's not exactly what was broached, because it would take skill to set off the bomb. the idea is that it's not simply hitting one button to set it off, it's sticking around, defending the bomb from others killing you for a specified amount of time before it goes off and you score points.
that article is assuming a bomb would be a simple onehit trigger thing.

One thing in that article which I think relates to the suggested mod is map familiarity. Because the location of the DDD ( semi-cool abbreviation (c) Kell McDOnald 2004 ) is map-based, not player-based then the complexity of the map being played, in terms of connectivity anyway, probably has more influence on the outcome of the match than itemload/placement or player skills/styles. Even a map with lots of possible routes or opportunities for trickjumps will go stale faster than a map for conventional gametypes.
Yes, in CTF the flags are placed by the mapper, in fairly predictable locations and always spawn there. But flags can move. If they're carried. Having played a brain load of Q3CTF online, I can say with absolute certainty that the most interesting eventuality to occur in CTF is when both teams have possession of the flag. Knowing the location of the flag spawn is then more or less redundant.

Still, even predicting something of a shorter lifespan of enjoyment, this mod would be fun. For a while.

weapon_doomsday - The Doomsday Device.
1. Find the Device
2. Pick up the Device, which starts the timer
3. Run around trying to avoid getting shot before it goes off

If the user does get killed, the weapon is dropped (duh) and its timer resets. The operator cannot use powerups (i.e. pent, quad, ring) or weapons while holding the device (hey, it's a weapon.) (Armour and health are OK though.)

Actually, such a device would be a lot easier to code than all these funcs and triggers. All you'd need is a couple of models. And it's a lot more like Catch the Chicken now...

I was thinking more along the lines of having a sort of dynamite detonator which you would have to stand on. If noone is on it it would rise twice as fast as it sunk when someone stood on it. So you can go off and still continue later, basically, who ever is standing on the detonator when it goes off gets the points.

You know a detonator, like in all the cartoons, with a t-shaped handle on top of a box? If its teamplay you would have to protect your rather exposed detonator dude. Takes about 15 seconds of uninterrupted standing to make it explode?